When I prepare meals for my family, I like to do it right. Even when I rush to cook, being in a hurry to get it done on time, I want it to look yummy and fresh. That means that slicing and chopping have to be done with a tool you can rely on, a nice and really sharp ceramic knife.

From my experience, having a blunt knife will bring you more trouble than anything else in the kitchen.

That is why I spend a lot of time in choosing and testing ceramic knives before I decide on the ones I will buy for my kitchen.

While watching cooking shows and professional chefs prepare food, I noticed them using ceramic knives more and more, especially when chopping vegetables and fruits.

That made me curious about them and I wanted to try them out myself.

And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

Choosing between hundreds of products out there on the market was not a tough choice though, but everything is achievable when you do the research.

This is what you need to know before choosing the best ceramic knives you can get.

How Are Ceramic Knives Made?

In short, Zirconium Dioxide and additives are all mixed together in a liquid that turns into a fine powder when left to dry.

That powder is then pressed with such force that it binds it all together.

But as such it is still too brittle, so it needs to be heated just up to a melting point to make it stronger.

From the start, it is shaped like blade so the micro-pores in it are closed tight during the process.

That makes the ceramic so hard, that it scores an 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale (diamonds are a 10, and I found out that stainless steel knives are only around 5.5 - 7.5). After making the ceramic blades in right thickness and size, the ceramic knives are sharpened properly and stored.

Good side of the ceramic knives

The first good thing you notice in ceramic knives is that they are really sharp. I managed to cut myself a few times before getting the hang of using them. With them, you can cut very small pieces and yet don’t have them all squashed in the process.

The hardness of the ceramic itself is important because that is what makes these knives so durable. Once sharpened right, ceramic knives stay sharp for a long time. You can just slice and slice and slice, and they are just as sharp as when you bought them.

Another great feature is that ceramic knives don’t pick up odors or bacteria and they don’t stain. Being able to switch from dicing vegetables to slicing meat without the transference of flavor is all thanks to ceramic pores being so tightly closed that there's virtually no opportunity for any transfer of taste or smell between foods to occur.

What is also great with ceramic blades is that they don’t rust or react to acidic fruits and vegetables. So when you cut one, you don’t see that darkening on the fruit or veggie you usually do when cutting with a steel knife.

You would think that for something to be so sharp it has to be heavy, but these knives are so very light you can hardly feel them in your hand. It makes preparing food really easy because your hand doesn’t tire if you have to use your knife long, which is important for people my age.

The not-so-good side of the ceramic knives

The first thing you need to know is that they are very fragile. It's the bad side of being made out of such a hard material like ceramics. It is very brittle so it breaks easily if you do not use it right.

That means you only use the ceramic knives for slicing. No cutting into hard vegetables, or bone, or frozen food with them, even cheese (you can check out some of the best ﻿rotary﻿ cheese ﻿﻿grater﻿﻿ here), because they will chip or break in half. No prying things open either.

Dropping one on the floor will also result in knife breaking in pieces, just like dropping a ceramic plate or cup.

You have to use them with wooden or plastic cutting boards that are softer because slicing with them on anything harder will result in the tip of the knife breaking or the knife chipping.

​Maintenance, Sharpening, and Price

It’s all good while we use these ceramic knives to chop, slice and dice, but storing them properly is just as important if you want them to last long.

They usually have a sheath of their own, so you can just place them in it and put them in a drawer.

Some (like mine) even come with a holder you can place on the counter so they are always in arms reach.

You never put ceramic knives in a dishwasher if you want them to last long and remain whole.

The washer will toss them around and after you take them out you will have a chipped or broken blade you can just toss in the garbage bin. Wash them by hand under a stream of water, dry them by hand and they will last you for a very long time.

Even though they stay sharp for so long, they do need to be re-sharpened from time to time.

Thinking that they are ceramic knives and special in a way, I thought that they would be more expensive than the stainless steel ones. But in my research, I found that, like in steel ones, it all depends on the brand and quality.

So just as we can find good affordable steel knives, there are ceramic ones as well. Which one you get, depends on your personal budget.

This is a very interesting and very affordable set that comes with 4 knives in 4 different sizes, protective sheaths for each for easy storing and a peeler. They also have a 30-day money back guarantee in case they don’t suit your taste. Great stuff if you’re not certain will they suit you.

This ceramic knife set comes in two versions, a multi-colored one that makes it easier to pick the right size of the blade you need and an elegant black one. The blades are made of white ceramic which goes well with both versions of handles.

They are quite sharp and easy when holding in hand but not as flexible as other ceramic knives. The blades, however, are a bit brittle and can break after some time of using. You might even notice that the blades changed color slightly.

The handles are made of durable plastic and they provide solid grip. However, if during the slicing your hand moves closer to the blade, you may cut yourself on the sharp end near the handle.

The peeler has a very sharp blade that rotates, but using it might be a bit tricky because you peel toward the holding hand. If you don’t have experience in using this type of peeler, I advise you to be extra cautious.

Things I liked

Affordable

Light

It has protective sheaths

30-day money back guarantee

Sharp blades

Durable plastic handles

Comes with a peeler

Things I didn’t like

This is a 4-piece set with dark-coated ceramics that gives it a very elegant look and doesn’t stain. It is a bit more expensive than ZenWare one, but still affordable and even comes with a 30-day warranty.

These ceramic knives are very light and have an ergonomic design with handles that are user-friendly and easy to grip. Handles are made from durable plastic that is also BPA free. But there is no protection at the end of the handles so if your hand slips, the edges are quite sharp and you could easily cut yourself.

The blades are made using the CIP (Cold Isocratic Pressing) technology which makes them sharper, stronger and more durable. However, they are a bit more brittle and do get dull rather soon and need to be sharpened often.

You have to be careful with using the sharpener, though. Actually, it might not be such a good idea to use it at all with these knives, because they are prone to chipping while re-sharpening.

Things I liked

Has a 30-day warranty

Affordable

The blades don’t stain

Comes with a serrated knife

Ergonomic design

User-friendly handle

BPA free

Blades made with CIP technology

Things I didn’t like

This Kyocera blade set is a rather expensive one for only having 3 ceramic knives. Especially when you consider the fact that it doesn’t come with sheaths or a holder inside and you have to order one to store them properly.

However, here you are paying for a brand of ceramic knives famous for their quality, sharpness, durability, longevity and even flexibility of the blades themselves. And even though the blade is white, the ceramic doesn't stain at all.

The handles are made of hard black plastic that provides quite a grip. But being plastic, it is understandable that it might crack or break after some time. The part where blade starts has a little arch so the sharp end of the blade doesn’t touch the handle and is safe even if your hand slips down a bit.

These Kyocera ceramic knives come with a lifetime warranty so if you get them chipped or they break, you can get them replaced. However, you pay the shipment.

Same goes for eventual re-sharpening as well in case you need it. So if you have more than one Kyocera knife, it might be better to invest in a Kyocera’s Electric Sharpener because you can use it for all your other knives as well.

This affordable multi-colored set comes with 4 different size knives and 4 white sheaths for each of them. The knives are light and comfortable when holding in hand. But you have to be careful when sheathing them because they are very tight and you might cut yourself or break the blade if you push too hard.

Blades are made of white ceramic that is quite sharp and strong, just not that flexible. They don’t stain when used, just have in mind that the yellow knife might be the weakest link. Whether from being used more often or it’s just a manufacturing issue, this knife is the first one to chip or break.

The handle is made of hard plastic and is ergonomically designed and arched a little so slicing and chopping are quite easy. However, you need to be careful with the biggest red knife because the edge near the handle is sharp and if your hand slips you might cut yourself. However, I did read on their website that they fixed this issue, so I hope this is no longer a problem.

The price-to-value ratio so good that if you want to make this set more eye-catching you might want to get a holder for it. That way the knives will always stay within your reach.

Things I liked

Great price to value ratio

Sheaths are included

They stay sharp

The blade doesn’t stain

Have multi-coloured handle

Handle is ergonomically designed and arched

Things I didn’t like

This is a very interesting set of 3 gray ceramic knives that is a bit over-priced considering it comes with no holder or sheaths included. They come in a box that is a bit hard to store or keep at hand, so you might need a holder for them if you use them every day.

Blades are very sharp, durable and they don’t stain. They are just not as flexible, so even though it says that they can be washed in a dishwasher, I do not recommend doing that. And in case they don’t suit you, you have a 30-day money back guarantee.

The handles are ergonomically shaped and don’t slip out of your hand because they are made of soft but firm rubber that makes handling quite easy. The handle has a small protective part near the blade so there is no chance that your hand will slide down resulting in a cut. However, that part might get in the way of slicing sometimes, so have that in mind.

A feature I was not satisfied with is that the glue used to hold the ceramic blade and handle together is very weak. After a rather short time of using, one of the handles just came apart. Unforgivable for a product of this price.

Things I liked

The blade stays sharp

It doesn’t stain

Handle is ergonomically designed

It is made of rubber with good grip

Top part of handle protects from hand sliding

It comes with a 30-day money back guarantee

Things I didn’t like

Sheaths are not included

Blades are not that flexible

They are a bit expensive for what you get

Glue holding the knife together is very weak

The protective part can get in a way when slicing

Which ceramic knife set to choose?

After reviewing and testing all these ceramic knife sets, I have come to a conclusion in how you can decide which set to get.

That choice is based on your experience in handling a ceramic knife itself.

The reason is quite simple. The price of the set comparing to the quality is very satisfactory, but not so much that in case you have an accident and a knife breaks, you will be sorry you spent so much money.

The knives themselves are easy to handle and are a great tool to help you learn how to use ceramic knives properly.

Barbara Whitney

For the last 20 years, I’ve been cooking, preparing, researching, and gathering recipes, tools, and knowledge about food and the way we prepare it. Raising two lively boys and spoiling one great husband later, it’s safe to say that I’ve optimized my kitchen to deliver the best possible meal, no matter the occasion.

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Crystal

Informative article! My fsvorite is the Kyocera set, although as you say, it is a bit expensive. Great advice and tips. Thanks!